GE HealthCare has signed an agreement with Axim Life Isotopes South Africa (ALISA), a joint venture between Life Healthcare and the AXIM Group of Companies, to expand provision of molecular imaging in South Africa with the delivery of two Cyclotrons, which produce radioisotopes enabling the production of tracing agents used in molecular imaging scans.
GE HealthCare will deliver the Cyclotrons to ALISA’s laboratory facility in Midrand, South Africa early next year, giving patients in Africa access to medical advancements.
Molecular imaging enables doctors and clinicians to see inside the body with a non-invasive process, helping to diagnose and treat diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological diseases. It can allow early and precise diagnosis. It uses biomarkers to highlight molecular changes, which can sometimes alert doctors to possible disease.
Because of the relatively short half-lives of PET radioisotopes, they must be created within hours of the patient’s scan. Thus, hospitals need to be a certain distance from the cyclotrons in order to get functioning isotopes for patients.
“GE HealthCare is pleased to partner with ALISA, bringing together our global expertise in world-leading molecular imaging technology with that of two market leaders, Life Healthcare and AXIM. This collaboration will drive continuous innovation in molecular imaging agent production to improve access to radiopharmaceuticals in South Africa and help drive precision care in the region,” said Eyong Ebai, General Manager – Sub-Saharan Africa, GE HealthCare.
GE HealthCare is a leading global medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and digital solutions innovator, dedicated to providing integrated solutions, services, and data analytics to make hospitals more efficient, clinicians more effective, therapies more precise, and patients healthier and happier.
Serving patients and providers for more than 100 years, GE HealthCare is advancing personalized, connected, and compassionate care, while simplifying the patient’s journey across the care pathway.
Peter Goldberg, Chairman, AXIM Group of Companies said, “The creation of our new Radiopharmacy in Midrand, housing two new GE Cyclotrons, will provide a stable, reliable and consistent supply of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)”
The AXIM Group of Companies is a leading distributor of equipment, devices, consumables and pharmaceuticals to the healthcare industry throughout Southern Africa. AXIM has decades of technical experience and a seasoned management team with established service and infrastructure capabilities and an extensive distribution network.
The radiology, nuclear and oncology, as well as medical communities, are supported by AXIM’s branch offices and countrywide coverage of product, clinical application and service specialists. AXIM already operates radio-pharmacies and supplies a multitude of nuclear and oncology equipment, consumable and pharmaceutical products across South Africa, the South African Development Community and into the continent.
Howard Marsh, Chief Financial Officer – International, Life Healthcare said, “This will include other sought-after medical grade isotopes for all PET-CT customers in Southern Africa. This includes access to isotopes for oncology, cardiovascular, and neuro-degenerative diseases.”
ALISA is building on the established global collaboration in place between GE HealthCare and Life Healthcare.
